Dani O’Rourke Mysteries

[Sounds of wine being poured into glasses, people laughing, one loud voice getting closer and closer. Sound of gurgling as author takes a swig from wine glass.]

“Hey there. We haven’t met. You’re the writer, right? A writer! I always wanted to do that.”

“Oh, have you written anything?”

“Well, no, but I have a great idea for a book.”

“Fiction?”

“A story, you know, like ‘CSI Miami.’”

“Aha. You’ve lived in Florida?”

“No, but I don’t think that’s important, do you?”

“Maybe not. After all, Ray Bradbury never lived in space.”

“Huh?”

“Why CSI? Do you have some experience with forensics? It’s such a fascinating field, and changing so rapidly.”

“Only what I see on TV, but I’m sure that’s plenty. In my story, the female CSI gets captured by a serial killer when she gets home from a job and is just about to get in the shower. She doesn’t know he’s a serial killer right away, but he has tattoos on his arm that have the names of the women he’s killed and the dates, but it’s in code and she has to break the code before he locks her in the basement. I think it would make a great movie too. That’s where the money is, right? But enough about me. What do you write? Are you famous?”

“I write traditional mysteries and, no, sorry to say I’m not famous. My series is about a fundraiser for an art museum – ”

“ – maybe your books are too expensive. I only buy used print books and my rule is I never pay more than 99 cents for books online. There are thousands of books you can get for e-readers, a whole lot of them are even free. Now, I’m not saying they’re all good, you know, but, hey, for free, why not try them? Who’s your favorite author?”

“There are so many wonderful crime fiction writers working today. Have you read anything by – ”

“I can never remember names except for Dan Brown, of course. He is really famous, and rich. Have you thought about writing in his style? That would definitely make you lots of money. Well, listen, it was great to meet a real author. Just promise you won’t steal my story idea, okay? One of these days, when I have the time, I’m going to write it, or maybe hire someone to ghost write it, you know?”

Murder in the Abstract (#1)

Danielle O’Rourke’s gala evening at the Devor Museum ends in catastrophe when the body of a young artist plummets from her office window. The police label it murder and suspect Dani, the Museum’s chief fundraiser.

Self-preservation and an insider’s understanding of how money moves the art world drive her to investigate who might have a motive for murder. Dani’s playboy ex-husband and a green-eyed cop complicate matters as her search moves through the fashionable worlds of San Francisco and Santa Fe.

“Dani O’Rourke is a wonderful addition to the roster of modern day amateur sleuths. Guided by Shea’s razor-sharp talent for observation and keen wit, Dani shows us the world of mega million dollar museum donations as only an insider could do… a fascinating protagonist you’d like as a friend, smack dab in the not-so-pristine world of fine art and old money.”
—Louise Ure, Shamus Award winner

The King’s Jar (#2)

Acquisition of the King’s Jar, a priceless African artifact, is a major coup for San Francisco’s prestigious Devor Museum of Art and Antiquities—and the gala celebration honoring its donors is a high-stakes affair. Dani O’Rourke, Devor’s chief fundraiser, is a pro at dealing with wealthy patrons, demanding bosses, big egos, and museum-world politics. Murder, however, is way above her pay grade, and definitely beyond her comfort zone.

When the renowned archaeologist who authenticated the King’s Jar turns up dead, and the invaluable relic vanishes, Dani suddenly finds herself trapped in a real-life game of Clue—with a gallery of glittering suspects, and a killer who’s playing for keeps. But drumming up donations from society swells is a far cry from matching wits with homicidal thieves. And juggling the amorous advances of a police detective, a TV celebrity, and her own playboy ex-husband—while sparring with an African ambassador, an obsessed archaeologist-in-training, a billionaire and his trophy wife—certainly doesn’t make it any easier to figure out who’s lying…or keep anyone else from dying.

Mixed Up with Murder (#3)

Dani is flying east for what should be an easy and interesting diversion, a short consulting assignment to help a small New England college with a plentiful gift of money and art from an alum. But the donation comes with some strange terms, and she soon learns the donor is a powerful man hiding some alarming secrets. When the college’s vice president drowns on a golf course, Dani finds herself in the center of a dangerous plot and, is once again, mixed up with murder.